Global Internet Shutdowns

There are reports of the Internet being suspended at Shambhu and Khanauri borders in Punjab following recent protests.

West Bengal authorities ordered local Internet Service Providers to suspend mobile Internet and voice-over-Internet services in five Gram Panchayat areas (Sainthia, Hatora Gram Panchayat (GP), Mathpalsa GP, Harisara GP, Dariyapur GP, and Fulur GP) following recent violence. The four-day shutdown came into effect on 14 March and is reported to end on 17 March at 8:00 local time.

The Government of Haryana has again ordered mobile Internet services be suspended in Ambala district, from 14 to 17 December, as the farmers’ Dilli Chalo March recommences.

The Government of Haryana has ordered mobile Internet services be suspended in Ambala district, from 6 to 9 Decembe, ahead of the farmers’ Dilli Chalo March.

Internet services have reportedly been suspended in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, since 24 November as part of wide-scale orders to reduce civil unrest in the region. These orders include suspending all schools and disallowing anyone from entering Sambhal.

Manipur authorities ordered Internet service providers to suspend “internet and mobile data services including VSATs, broadband (ILL & FTTH) and VPN services” in the Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakchina, Kangpokpi, and Churachandpur districts. This shutdown follows an intensification of protests in the region.

There are reports that Internet services were suspended without warning in Dudyala, Kodangal, and Bomraspet mandals in the Vikarabad district of Telangana on 11 November as part of a late-night police operation. Vikarabad SP K. Narayana Reddy announced that Internet services will likely be restored on Wednesday, 13 November.

Assam State authorities ordered mobile Internet services to be suspended across all 35 districts on 27 October 2024, between 8:30 and 16:00 (local time) to avoid malpractice during government recruitment examinations. This follows similar orders for exams held on 15 and 29 September.

Tripura authorities ordered the suspension of mobile Internet and SMS services in North Tripura district for 72 hours amid ‘communal tensions’.

Authorities in Uttar Pradesh are reported to have ordered the suspension of mobile and fixed Internet services in Bahraich district amid communal clashes.

Assam State authorities ordered mobile Internet services to be suspended across all 35 districts on 29 September 2024, between 8:30 and 16:30 (local time) to avoid malpractice during government recruitment examinations. These orders are stricter than those given two weeks prior for similar exams in the state, where only 28 of 35 districts were affected for 3.5 hours

Odisha authorities ordered mobile Internet services to be suspended across the Bhadrak and Dhamnaghar districts for 48 hours from 28 September 2024 to to prevent the spread of inflammatory messages in the wake of community unrest sparked by a social media post.

Jharkhand State authorities ordered mobile Internet services to be suspended across the state on 21 and 22 September 2024, between 8:00 and 13:30 (local time) to avoid malpractice during General Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examinations. The estimated population of Jharkhand state is 40.6 million.

Jharkhand State authorities ordered mobile Internet services to be suspended across the state on 21 and 22 September 2024, between 8:00 and 13:30 (local time) to avoid malpractice during General Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examinations. The estimated population of Jharkhand state is 40.6 million.

Assam State authorities ordered mobile Internet services to be suspended across 28 of the state’s 35 districts on 15 September 2024, between 10:00 and 12:00 and 14:00 and 16:00 (local time) to avoid malpractice during the written examination for Class-III government post.

Manipur authorities order Internet services to be suspended across the state’s five valley districts—Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching Districts—following clashes between students and local security forces during a march. Manipur, a state of 3.7 million people, has been embroiled in ethnic clashes and subsequent Internet shutdowns since May 2023.

Internet services in Jainoor village in Telangana state were suspended for 24 hours amidst tension following a strike (bandh) on 5 September 2024. According to reports, the district administration issued prohibitory orders under 144 CrPC and 163 BNSS, along with a ban on the Internet as a precautionary measure to avoid the spread of rumours and fake news.

Internet services in Badlapur in Maharashtra’s Thane district were suspended for 24 hours amidst a large scale protest that took place on 20 August 2024.

On 16 August, Udaipur authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended for 24 hours from 22:00 local time in several areas in the district to maintain law and order following a stabbing at a local school. These orders were extended twice, on 17 August and 18 August, following communal unrest. Although the final orders stipulated Internet services were to return at 22:00 on 19 August, multiple people reported some services not resuming until 21 August.

Haryana authorities have ordered Internet and bulk SMS services to be suspended in Sisra until 23:59 local time, 8 August 2024. The orders were issued by the Department of Home Affairs of Haryana as a precution to prevent any disturbance and spread of misinformation following the death of a notable religious leader in the region.

Nuh authorities have ordered Internet and SMS services to be suspended for 24 hours starting from 18:00 local time on 21 July. The orders were issued by the Additional Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi to prevent any disturbance to peace and public order in the Nuh district amid the Brajmandal Jalabhishek Shobha Yatra prosession happening on Monday 22 July.

There are reports that mobile Internet services have been suspended for 24 hours in Dhalai, Tripura.

Local authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended for two days in the Balasore municipality of Odisha starting on Tuesday, 18 June, as part of an imposed curfew following community violence. Authorities explained the order was given to “prevent the circulation of inflammatory and motivated messages on social media and disturb the public order in Balasore municipality areas; the prohibition on social media usage has been enforced.”

A clash between political party workers erupted near polling stations on 20 May 2024 that resulted in one death, prompted the Saran district administration to order an Internet shutdown for two days as a precautionary measure. While the order (see below) specified blocking of particular apps, reports suggest that all Internet services were affected.

There are reports of Internet services being suspended as part of Section 144 orders by police in Dhupguri, West Bengal. The orders were given following the vandalism of temples in the region.